Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-05-12
MILLIONS FOR PRINTING.
Railway Companies Compelled to Put Lots of
Money Into Jobbing Houses Just Now.

While many pay to travel on railrOa ds
who never paid before, the railroad COM
panies are paying great deal of mon ey
to printers which they were not oblig ed
to give up before the interstate COM
merce law went into effect. The law re-
quires every railroad company to issue
and display conspicuously printed cop
les of the freight and passenger tariffs
at every point along their respective
lines. The roads are now engaged in an
attempt to meet this requirement.
Different roads, however, are proceeding
on different plans. One corporation is
getting out tariffs from, one station to
all other stations-local as well as inter
state. Another road has had tariff from
local stations to interstate stations. 9th
er roads have had published one large
sheet, embracing all the local stations
as well as interstate points.
Each road believes it has complied with
the law. If there should exist any doubt
in the n inds Of patrons OR others wheth-
er the law has been duly observed, the
commission over which Judge Cooley
presides will be called upon to construe
the clause of the enactment relating to
printing. Il is thought that the very
earliest period when such official con-
struction could be obtained would be six
months. The chances are, ther efore, that
some of the roads will do considerable
experimental printing before the edict of
the commission is promulgated.
''What will the tariff cost?' was the
query which a representative of the Mail
propounded to the head Of a large print
ing establishment to-day.
"They will cost considerable money"
was the reply.
''There are $50 railroads in the country;
could you form an opinion as to the aver
age cost per roads"
mo; because the roads vary so greatly
in length, some running only a mile, 9th
! ers hundreds or thousands of miles"
SHOULD you suppose the printing of
the tariffs required by the Chicago &
| Northwestern would cost $60,OOO?"
Hardly as much as that. but no figures
can be definitely given as yet"
| Another prominent printing concern
said through its manager:
"From G rough estimate T. should say
the average cost per road for the printing
required by the inter state law Will be
$4,000 per road, which gives grand
| total of $24, 100000. This estimate is, I
| think, under rather than above the actual
figures"
| At the railroad offices where inquiry
! was made the officials agreed shat the
| costs of schedules remained foe the pres
| ent "a conundrum.'
From some stations there sre twenty
| or thirty rates, according to the variety
Of shipments. The passenger tariff
would require but two sets OF figures for
| each first and second-ciass rates. The
companies, of course do net relish the
/ idea Of paying such enormous printing
4 bills.
Atthe freight office OF the Chicago,
/ Milwaukee 81 ST. Paul road the official in
charge said:
'sJust what this company must pay for
printing new tariffs to meet the require
ments of the inter state commerce. La W is
as yet matter of speculation. I should
say, however, making G rough estimate,
that it would be nearer $40, 900 than sac,
I000."
/ Several samples of printing executed
/ In accordance with the new law we're ez-
i hibited. The pamphlets are mostly cem-
posed of costly table work At the head
of each is the efne: "Tancelling Ali Ere.
4 vious Rates" One was a "Throweh
I Freight Tariff ON merchandise, salt, &C.
1 dnent, lime, sbacco, and emigrant's znoy-
i ables between Chicago, Racine, Nilwau-
! kee, or RaciEe junction, and stations on
4 the following divisions: Dubuque, RSger.
4 Wabasha, Chicago and Council Blusss in
Il Iowa, Racine & Southwestern in iowa.
E>Souhtern Minnesota, Iowa & Dakota,
i Hastings IL Dakota. The tariff sets
4 forth prominently the fact that the
I figures are Subject 80 F'the western classi-
I fication," ana when the rates and the
4 classification conflict the former will gov
I ern." The edmonition TO agents, which
J ~ hold
1 Agents are strictly prohibited froEn &C uot-
/ ing or using a higher rate for a shorter
i than for logger distance over the same
j line in the same direction, the shelter
/ being entirely included within the longer
1 'distance." Farming the first page of the
1 pamphlet one sees an index to consecu-
d't1ve numbers or stations, and this
i rs followed by a table showing the
price charged for first second, third
and fourth class merchandise per ZOO
pounds. Then coGaes the rates for
special carload cases. eight in number
4 Sixteen large pages are closely flied
| with figures, and thousands of rates GRd
| specifications are given in tGbuIasad
\ form. The sane company has separate
| freight tariff between Chicago and sta
i lions in Illinois and Wisconsin on TIE
| following divisions: Chicago & CounoE
EtuHs, Mineral Point, Chicago Il Mil
waukee, Lacrosse, Racine g. Southwestern
ana Wisconsin galley. Then follows acres
of figures giving rates fQr merchandise,
special car load classes, and carload
classes. Seperats figures are given on
wheat and focr, barley, corn, rye and
oats; salt, cement, line and st1eco;
lumber and lath; horses and mules, hogs,
calves, or cattle. skeep, single deck and
in tea different classifeations of merekan-
disc.
Another tariff Issued by the same con-
pany presents rates of 2 "joint through
freigagS tariff between Chicago, Milwau-
kee, and st. Paul and points on the
Union Pacific railway IS presents an
intricate array of figures, and includes |
prices OF transporting everything from
blue vitriol to pig iron and onions. The |
printing feature of the interstate COM |
MERGE Law is one grievous to be borne.
EjWIn Booths SDpePk